In this video the vCenter Server AutoLab VM is built using the AutoLab automation and the ESXi hosts are added to vCenter inventory. Networking and storage is also configured on the ESXi hosts using AutoLab automation.

This video covers building the Domain Controller (DC) and ESXi hosts using the AutoLab automation. The Domain Controller provides the Active Directory infrastructure, the PXE boot infrastructure, the DNS services, and the database services for the AutoLab environment. The hosts will become the ESXi servers for the AutoLab environment.

The video covers populating the NAS Build share with the software needed by the AutoLab environment. The video also covers setting up the automation.ini file to automatically install the vCenter server and add the hosts to vCenter inventory.

In this first video I provide an overview of the PC I am using to run my VMware Workstation AutoLab environment, how to obtain AutoLab from labguides.com, explain how to configure VMware Workstation for AutoLab, and how to power on and access the build share on the AutoLab NAS VM.

In case you missed it AutoLab 1.5 has been released and includes support for vSphere 5.5. The ability to lab up VSAN is also supported in this version. AutoLab automates the deployment of a nested VMware lab either in VMware Workstation (or Fusion) or on ESXi.

I have been running my home lab in Workstation for a good while now and it has served me well especially throughout my VCAP-DCA study. I am starting to do a bit more testing and proof-of-concept stuff with vSphere 5 and VDI so I need a little more.